Incompatible Means (Completed)

Chapter 16

Flipping over into a crouch I scanned the open area by the house and saw it deserted, turning back towards the woods I tried to move behind a tree but didn't move fast enough as a sharp burst of pain flashed across my side. My fan and the gun in my backpack were too far away in open area to try to reach and I couldn't stay behind this tree waiting for my attacker to come to me.

Quickly running deeper into the woods I squatted down next to another tree, the darkness of the woods would hopefully help keep me hidden long enough to locate the source of the shot. The sound of cloth moving across bark brought my attention to my right, where I could see a masked figure in all black carefully stalking towards the edge of the clearing. Waiting until he was almost directly to my right I rushed him knocking the gun from his hand and aiming a kick to his leg. He tackled me to the ground, punching me in the face hard enough to daze me, he stretched to reach the gun above our heads now. I looked up frantically to see his hand almost touching the butt of the gun, a piercing screech was the only warning we had before the falcon tore down grabbing the attackers hand.

The creatures sharp talons embed themselves into the back of the masculine hand, the force from the falcon's dive dragged the guy to the side and he rolled off of me. He hits the huge bird and is released but before he is able to regain his composure the bird swoops in again going for his eyes. My attacker yells and ran into the woods, jumping to my feet, I grabbed the guys gun and turned to pursue when I am suddenly surrounded by six guards all pointing guns at me.

"Put down the weapon or we will shoot," one of them yells. Remembering what Roderick said about no longer using tranq darts I didn't push my luck and dropped the gun immediately. But it wouldn't stop me from talking.

"I was attacked by a man, he shot me, I disarmed him then a falcon attacked him and chased him that way," I point in the direction the man had run. The guard I was facing looked at me like my hair was on fire, there was no way he believed me. I was about to scream in frustration when Tex spoke.

"You've been shot?"

I turned around looking at all the guards to see the one directly behind me put up his weapon, Tex had been holding a gun to my back. Guess I was foolish to think he might like me enough not to shoot me in the back. But the concern on his face seemed genuine as he approached me looking at my now blood-soaked shirt. I could tell that it wasn't that bad of a wound, mostly just torn flesh and muscle but I was bleeding quite a bit.

"Roderick is going to kill me," he said pulling up my shirt. I slapped his hand away, so the concern had not been for my well being but getting into trouble with his boss. He looked up at me, he must have seen the anger in my eyes.

"Spread out and look for the intruder, Mr. Keats will want them apprehended and questioned. Alert everyone that there has been a security breach on the property. Find out how this man got in and look for anyone that might have come with him." All the men followed his orders and disappeared in the woods. It looked like Tex had a pretty high position amongst the security. Whoopie Doo. He was still a jerk and I wouldn't be fooled by his easy smile again. I began walking back towards the house, I needed to patch myself up.

"Hey, wait up. We need to get you looked at before you black out or something." I ignored him and kept walking. "Ace, stop walking away from me."

"What did you just call me?" I spun around so fast that my vision got fuzzy trying to keep up. Tex had his arms up, palms out in a placating manner.

"We heard that was your call sign. Some of the guys had heard of you before from some of your other jobs," he seemed to almost be blathering out of nerves. "They were all surprised it was really you, they thought you were a guy."